Guiding means,in particular for drawers and the like



In yen! or 720/ A a/Av mv 5/40- P. F. HEINIGERSCHAR Filed May 16, 1966July 22, 1969 GUIDING MEANS, IN PARTICULAR FOR DRAWEHS AND THE LIKEUnited States Patent 312-347 9 Claims US. Cl.

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Drawer guide in which pairs of interengagingrails are provided at opposite sides of the drawer with the rails of onepair being restricted against freedom of relative lateral movement whilethe rails of the other pair are unrestricted with respect to freedom ofrelative lateral movement.

The present invention relates to guiding means especially for guidingdrawers and the like, which are provided on the sides of the drawer. Itis known to provide drawers with lateral profiled sections for movablymounting the drawer in openings, cupboards, filing cabinets, and otherpieces of furniture. However, the heretofore known guiding means havethe drawback that they require a comparatively large clearance in adirection transverse to the movement of the drawer and approximatelyparallel to the plane of the drawer in order to be able to take up andcompensate for the manufacturing tolerances. Due to the fact that theguiding means has clearance and, therefore, in addition to being movablein the direction in which the drawer is moved out and into itsrespective recess can also be moved crosswise to the normal direc tionof movement of the drawer to an amount corresponding to the clearance,it frequently happens that the drawer, when being pulled out or pushedin, wedges or jams. In an attempt to overcome the above-mentioneddrawback, the tolerances have been kept as small as possible in themanufacture of the guiding means and the drawers. However, this in turncauses high manufacturing costs.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide guidingmeans for drawers and the like, which will overcome the above mentioneddrawbacks.

It is another object of this invention to provide guiding means of theabove mentioned type which will assure an easy movement of the drawerout of and into the recess provided therefor while avoiding wedging orjamming.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a guiding meansof the above mentioned type, which can be manufactured in a simple andeconomic manner while the clearance is reduced to a minimum.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear moreclearly from the following specification in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a simplified isometric view of a drawer slide assemblyaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line IIII of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a modified embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of still another embodiment ofthe invention.

In a guiding arrangement or drawer slide assembly, especially fordrawers or the like, which is provided on the sides of the drawer,according to the present inven- "ice tion, one side of the drawer hasarranged thereon positive guiding means with a degree of freedomexclusively in the pulling out direction while on the other side of thedrawer there is provided a compensating guide with a degree of freedomin the pulling out direction and approximately parallel to the plane ofthe drawer. While due to the positive guiding means an accurate guidingof the drawer or the like will be assured in a substantiallyclearance-free manner, it is possible by the compensating guideaccording to the invention to compensate for inaccuracies of the guidingmeans and of the drawer. In. this way an easy pulling out and pushing inof the drawer will be assured while the drawer cannot wedge or jam.Furthermore, in view of the fact that inaccuracies in the manufacturingprocess as to the dimensions of the parts can be compensated for by thecompensating guiding means according to the invention, it is possible toselect large manufacturing tolerances for the drawer and the casing orhousing receiving the drawer so that an economic manufacturing of theguiding means is possible.

According to a further feature of the present invention, the positiveguiding arrangement is formed by two interengaging profiles of which oneprofile is connected to the drawer or the like whereas the non-movableprofile is connected to the box, housing or the like receiving thedrawer. The interengaging profiles can be manufactured at low cost andcan in a simple manner be connected to the drawer or the box.

A particularly simple compensating guiding arrangement is formed by oneedge of the drawer which edge is resting on and guided by thenon-movable counter profile. In this way the drawer can be moved in thepulling out direction as well as in the plane of the drawer relative tothe non-movable counter profile.

Advantageously, one profile of the positive guiding arrangement isformed by a profiled rail which has a substantially U-shaped crosssection and is connected to the drawer or the like. The said profiledrail is engaged by a leg of the non-movable counter profile. Theprofiled rails may be produced by extrusion molding and can easily beconnected to the drawer or the like or the box or the like.

According to a further development of the present invention, theU-shaped profiled rail is provided with downwardly directed legs and isarranged on the drawer, while advantageously the inner leg of the drawerprofile is extended and merges with a profiled leg which is parallel tosaid rail of U-shaped cross section. In this way, a profile is obtainedwhich has a substantially box-shaped cross section and while beingrelatively thin has a great strength.

Advantageously, the outer legs of the U-shaped profiled rails rest on aguiding surface of the non-movable counter profile so that the said legsor guiding surface will support the weight of the drawer. Thenon-movable counter profile can be manufactured in a particularly simplemanner if it is so designed that in cross section it has a double crankwhile one leg is directed upwardly and extends into the profiled rail ofthe drawer while the transverse arm comprises the guiding surface forthe outer U-shaped profiled leg of the drawer profile, and the otherdownwardly directed leg forms a connecting part for connection'with thedrawer receiving box or the like.

The U-shaped profiled rail may also be connected to the drawer or thelike by means of upwardly directed legs. Also in this instance the innerleg is advantageously extended and merges with a guiding web which isapproximately parallel to the U-shaped transverse arm; Said guiding webrests on a non-movable counter profile and thus supports the weight ofthe drawer. Furthermore,-in

this instance the non-movable counter profile has advantageously a crosssection with U-shaped downwardly directed legs while one leg extendsinto the profile of the drawer and the other leg is designed asconnecting part.

According to a further development of the present invention, the profileof the compensating guiding means which is connected to the drawer orthe like is approximately U-shaped and has laterally outwardly extendinglegs. The upper leg has a web directed to the outer leg the lower endface of which forms the edge resting on the non-movable counter profile.Advantageously, the nonmovable counter profile is formed by an angleprofile one leg of which comprises the guiding surface whereas the otherleg forms the connecting part.

In view of the fact that the profiled rails of the positive and/orcompensating guiding means which are arranged on the drawer have abox-shaped cross section, these profiles can advantageously be insertedinto a groove of the side walls of the drawer so that a space savingstructure will be obtained. The design of the guiding means according tothe present invention will be further simplified by designing theprofiled rails on the drawer wall or the like identical so that a simplemanufacture and assembly will be assured.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 shows in dash lines adrawer 1 which is movably arranged in a recess formed for instance by abox 2. Drawer 1 is by means of lateral guiding rails 3, 4 movable in thedirection indicated by the double arrow 5.

As will be evident from FIG. 2, one profiled guiding arrangement 3 isformed by positively interen'gaging means which have a degree of freedomsolely in the pulling out and pushing in direction, i.e. the directionsindicated by the arrow 5. The profiled guiding arrangement 3 comprisestwo positively interengaging profiled rails 6, 7 of which rail 6 isnon-movably connected to a side wall 2a of box 2 whereas the otherprofiled rail 7 is inserted into groove 8 of the corresponding side wall1a of drawer 1 and is connected thereto for instance by an adhesive. Theprofiled rail 7 which is arranged on the drawer side wall 1a has aU-shaped part 9 with upwardly directed legs 10, 11. Inner leg 11 isextended and merges with a guiding web 12 which is parallel to theU-shaped transverse arm 13, Guiding web 12 rests on a correspondingtransverse arm 14 of the non-movable profiled rail 6. The non-movableprofiled rail 6 has a substantially U-shaped cross section withdownwardly directed legs 15, 16. Leg 15 is located :between legs 10, 11of the profiled rail 9 of the drawer profile rail 7, whereas the otherleg 16 serves as connecting part for connecting the non-movable profiledrail 6 to the side wall 2a of the box 2.

The compensating guiding means 4 which is located opposite to thepositive guiding means 3 has in addition to the degree of freedom in thedirection of the arrow also a degree of freedom in the direction of thearrow 17 parallel to the plane of drawer 1 so that in this wayinaccuracies with regard to dimensions and tolerances of drawer 1, ofbox 2, or of guiding means 3 can be compensated for.

The compensating guiding means 4 is provided with a profiled rail 18which is identical to the profiled rail 17 of the positive guidingarrangement 3. Rail 18 is arranged in a corresponding groove 8 of theside wall 1a of drawer 1. The non-movable counter profile on one sidewall 2a of box 2 is formed by an angle-shaped rail 19 one leg 20 ofwhich serves for supporting rail 18 of drawer 1 whereas the other leg 21which is downwardly directed serves as connecting means for connectingthe non-movable counter profile 19 to the side wall 2a of box 2.

The upper leg 22 of the rail 18 rests on the corresponding leg 20 of thenon-movable profile 19.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the positive guidingmeans 3a comprises a rail 23 arranged in groove 8 of the side wall 1a ofthe drawer. Rail 23 is provided with a U-shaped portion 25 the legs 26and 4 27 of which are directed downwardly. One leg 28 of the non-movablecounter profile 29 extends between said legs 26 and 27. Counter profile29 is in conformity with FIG. 3 provided with two cranked portions orwebs. Web 30 of rail 29 supports the outer leg 26 of drawer rail 23,whereas the other downwardly directed leg 31 serves as connecting meansfor connecting the non-movable counter profile 29 to the side wall 2a ofbox 2 or the like.

The inner leg 27 of the U-shaped part 25 of rail 23 is extended andmerges with a web 33 which is parallel to the transverse leg 32 of theU-shaped portion 25.

The compensating guiding means 4a according to'FIG. 3 has a drawer rail24 which is identical to the drawer rail 23 of the positive guidingmeans 3a. The outer downwardly directed leg 26 of rail 24 rests on oneleg 20 which similar to the arrangement of FIG. 2 pertains to theangle-shaped non-movable counter profile 19.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 4, the drawer rails 7, 18 aredesigned similar to the embodiment of FIG. 2. The non-movable counterrails 6a, 19a have upwardly directed connecting legs 16a, 29a.

As will be evident from FIGS. 1 to 4, all drawer profile rails 7, 18, 23and 24 are identical parts which can be used for the respectiveembodiments merely by inverting the rails. Similarly, the non-movablecounter rail 19 according to FIG. 2 can be placed into the assemblyposition 19a of FIG. 4 by inverting the rail. Furthermore, it ispossible to arrange the rails 7, 18 and 23, 27 as non-movable rails onthe side wall 2a of box 2 and to this end to provide the counter rails6, 19, 29 on or in the side walls In of drawer 1.

The drawer rails 17, 18, 23 and 24 are fastened in the grooves by anadhesive.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by nomeans, limited to the particular arrangements shown in the drawings butalso comprises any modifications within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A guide structure for guiding a drawer for sliding movement betweenextended and retracted position relativeto a stationary structurecomprising; pairs of elongated rails extending in the direction ofmovement of the drawer and adapted for being disposed on op posite sidesof the drawer, said drawer and structure forming the supporting membersfor said rails, each pair of rails comprising a drawer mounted rail anda stationary mounted rail, one rail of each pair of rails comprising avertically extending base leg, top and bottom legs extendinghorizontally from the top and bottom ends of said base leg in adirection toward the other rail of the respective pair, and a furtherleg extending from the outer end of one of said top and bottom legstoward the other thereof but being spaced from said other leg, the otherrail of each pair of rails each comprising a first portion extendinghorizontally into the gap between said other leg and the outer end ofsaid further leg of the said one rail of the respective pair of rails,and a second portiont on one only of said other rails extendingvertically from one end of said first portion thereof into the spacebetween the said base leg and the said further leg of the said one railof the respective pair of rails and closely but slidably fitting in saidspace.

2. A guide structure according to claim 1, in which the said one railsare the drawer mounted rails and the said further legs thereof extendupwardly from the said bottom legs thereof, and said second portion ofthe said one of said other rails extends downwardly from the said firstportion thereof.

' 3. A guide structure according to claim 1, in which the said one railsare the drawer mounted rails and the said further legs thereof extenddownwardly from the said top legs thereof, and said second portion ofthe said one of said other rails extends upwardly from the said oneportion thereof.

4.A guide structure for guiding a drawer for sliding movement betweenextended and rectracted position relative to a stationary structurecomprising; pairs of elongated rails extending in the direction ofmovement of the drawer and adapted for being disposed on opposite sidesof the drawer, said drawer and structure forming the supporting membersfor said rails, each pair of rails comprising a drawer mounted rail anda stationarily mounted rail, one rail of each pair of rails comprising avartically extending base leg, top and bottom legs extendinghorizontally from the top and bottom ends of said base leg in adirection toward the other rail of the respective pair, and a furtherleg extending from the outer end of one of said top and bottom legstoward the other thereof but being spaced from said other leg, the otherrail of each pair of rails each comprising a first portion extendinghorizontally into the gap between said other leg and the outer end ofsaid further leg of the said one rail of the respective pair of rails, asecond portion on one only of said other rails extending vertically fromone end of said first portion thereof into the space between the saidbase leg and the said further leg of the said one rail of the respectivepair of rails and closely but sildably fitting in said space, and saidone of said other rails being substantially Z shaped in cross sectionwith one angular section thereof forming the said second portion of therail, a second angular section thereof forming the said first portion ofthe rail, and the third angular section thereof forming means to fix therail to its supporting member.

5. A guide structure according to claim 4 in which said one rails aredrawer mounted and said other rails are stationarily mounted.

6. A guide structure according to claim 5 in which said one section ofsaid one other rail extends downwardly from the said second sectionthereof.

7. A guide structure according to claim 5 in which said one section ofsaid one other rail extends upwardly from the said second sectionthereof.

8. A guide structure according to claim 1 in which each said one of saidother rails comprises a third portion parallel to said second portionand extending from said first portion in the same direction as saidsecond portion and from the end of said first portion opposite saidsecond portion and adapted for being fixed to the supporting member forthe respective rail.

9. A guide structure according to claim 1 in which the drawer has agroove on each side in which the respective drawer mounted rail isdisposed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,519,623 8/1950 Baker 31233O2,759,773 8/ 1956 Wilmer et al 312350 X 3,160,448 12/1964 Abernathy etal. 312347 X 3,351,406 11/1967 Ropiequet et a1. 312347 X JAMES T.McCALL, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 3083.6; 312-330

